The rapid evolution of the internet and social media has encouraged the Fort
Bend County Office of Emergency Management to facilitate numerous websites and
online communication tools.  Between Twitter, Facebook, Vimeo, Wordpress and the
new main site [www.fbcoem.org], citizens of Fort Bend County have nearly a
half-dozen ways to be notified of the next hurricane Ike.

Fort Bend County has joined a host of other agencies in using interactive media
to enhance communications, interact with the community and share basic
information.  This initiative is a simple and effective way of getting critical
information out to citizens of the county. These networks are a perfect place
for everyone from Barack Obama to Houston Transtar to connect with followers,
fans and friends.

To read the entire news release:  http://www.fbcoem.org/go/doc/1528/263720/

CERT TRAINING REQUIREMENTS

CERT members, who have successfully completed the required training, will
qualify to participate as a CERT Team Member. In order to become CERT-ifed,
volunteers must complete the following course requirements.

*  Attend a 25 hour class.
*  Complete all of the 8 week Training Course
*  Complete IS 100 (Introduction to the Incident Command System) and IS 700
(Introduction to the National Incident Management System) courses.
*  Attend SkyWarn Training within first year of joining CERT.

Fundamentals Curriculum

The Fundamentals of Emergency Management Training Curriculum includes the
following sessions:

Disasters

This unit addresses a variety of disaster situations that might threaten our
community. We also look at the impact on Fort Bend County's infrastructure,
structural, and nonstructural hazards. In addition, each participant learns what
they can do to mitigate the effects of disasters and learn more about personal
safety and secondary hazards which present themselves when emergencies or
disasters occur.

Basic Fire Suppression

This unit addresses the basic use of fire extinguishers, personal safety, fire
prevention for the home and workplace and an overview of the Fire Department and
its resources.

In addition, this unit provides an orientation to hazardous materials. This
basic knowledge enables the CERT team member to recognize and identify a
hazardous material threat and how to properly notify authorities.

Disaster Medical

Part I of Disaster Medical Operations includes an introduction to disaster
medical situations. It includes recognizing and treating life-threatening
conditions, triage, and practical applications for disaster medical knowledge
and skills.

Part II of Disaster Medical Operations concentrates on the organization of
disaster medical operations. Participants learn how to conduct head-to-toe
patient assessments establish treatment areas; treat burns; care for wounds;
treat fractures; sprains and strains; splint broken bones; treat hypothermia and
frostbite. CERT members also learn public health considerations and apply their
newly learned disaster medical knowledge and skills in a practical scenario.

Light Search and Rescue

This unit includes aspects of search and rescue planning, size-up, and
operations.

Team Organization and Psychology

The CERT program includes the spontaneous organization of CERT and disaster
decision-making. Participants learn about disaster psychology and how these
traumatic events can affect victims and rescuers including CERT members. In
conclusion, this unit addresses CERT and its relationship to the incident
management system.

Terrorism

This unit is a basic overview on terrorism.

Graduation

The hands-on "disaster" exercise that puts newly learned CERT skills to the
test.

COST: FREE

We also provide manual and Starter Backpack.

Free Online Disaster Preparedness Courses

The following courses are available online, free of charge, at the Texas
Engineering Extension Service (TEEX) website.  www.teexwmdcampus.com   Of
particular interest during this time period would be the WMD AWR 200 –
Introduction to SNS and Mass Prophylaxis, and the WMD PER307 – Avian Flu

After reviewing the individual modules and completing the end of course
assessment, participants will be able to view, download, and print their
certificates of participation immediately upon completion.

AWR 110 – WMD/Terrorism Awareness for Emergency Responders (New)
From the smallest pipe bomb to the horror of Oklahoma City or the World Trade
Center attacks, terrorism presents added concerns to those involved in emergency
response. This course addresses the unique requirements of those incident, with
a special emphasis on self-protection for emergency responders. The course
reflects the 2002 edition of NFPA 472, "Standard for Professional Competence of
Responders to Hazardous Materials Incidents."

AWR 111 – Basic EMS Concepts for WMD Incidents (Revised)

AWR 112 – Public Works for WMD (CBRNE) Incidents: Basic Concepts
This course provides participants a basic understanding of federal controlling
authorities for WMD incidents; an overview of the Incident Command System for
WMD/terrorism incidents; and a knowledge of the federal resources available to
in the event of a WMD/terrorism incident. This course replaces WMD003.

AWR 160 – Terrorism Awareness for Emergency First Responders
Developed by the National Domestic Preparedness Consortium (NDPC), the WMD
(Weapons Of Mass Destruction) Awareness-Level Training Course is a four-hour
program that provides emergency responders with awareness-level instruction on
recognition, avoidance, isolation, and notification techniques in a WMD
environment. The course covers prevention and deterrence and chemical,
biological, radiological, nuclear, and explosive (CBRNE) hazards.

WMD 006a – MGT-101 - *NEW* WMD Incident Management/Unified Command Concepts
This is the newly revised version of the IM/UC Concepts course.

WMD AWR 200 – Introduction to SNS and Mass Prophylaxis

WMD PER 306 – Botulism

WMD PER301 – Children and Nerve Agents

WMD PER302 – Canine Emergency Medical Care

WMD PER303 – Emergency Management
This course discusses emergency management concerns for first responders in
terrorism and disasters.

WMD PER304 – Medical Effects of Primary Blast Injuries

WMD PER305 – Bacillus Anthracis

WMD PER307 – Avian Flu

Dear CERT Community,

The CERT National Program Office is pleased to announce that new "CERT in
Action!" stories are posted on the CERT National website.  The new stories
feature CERTs who filled sandbags in response to local flooding, cleared snow
from fire hydrants, removed debris due to an ice storm, and assisted with a car
accident victim.  Click on the following link to read the new stories:
http://www.citizencorps.gov/cert/.

We hope you enjoy the new "CERT in Action!" stories.  If you know of others who
would be interested in receiving CERT news and updates, please have them
subscribe at the following website:
http://www.citizencorps.gov/cert/subscribe.shtm.

Sincerely,

CERT National Program Office
Community Preparedness Division
Federal Emergency Management Agency

Hurricane Preparedness Resources

It's Hurricane Season…. Is Your Community Prepared?

Resources to help communities prepare for and respond to hurricane events and
other natural disasters are featured on an updated Web page from the Agency for
Healthcare Research and Quality.  "Tools and Resources to Help Communities
Prepare for Hurricane Season" is available at
http://www.ahrq.gov/prep/hurricane.htm.

In addition to recordings of two Web conferences featuring advice from experts
on how to use several of AHRQ's free tools, the page includes information on:

* Evacuating mass numbers of casualties from one facility to another
* Informing decision-making when planning to move and track patients during
disasters
* Preparing schools for disaster events
* Caring for pediatric patients during disasters
* Using community call centers for crisis support
* Selecting and using alternate care sites
* Reopening shuttered hospitals to care for a sudden surge in patients

For information on more public health emergency preparedness tools and resources
from AHRQ, visit http://www.ahrq.gov/prep/.

Two reports produced by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Personal
Preparedness in America: Findings from the Citizen Corps National Survey and the
Citizen Corps Urban Area Survey, offer comprehensive data on the public's
thoughts, perceptions, and behaviors related to preparedness and community
safety for multiple types of hazards.  The results, which come from household
surveys fielded in the fall of 2007, provide insight on preparedness in the U.S.

FEMA is fielding the survey again this year with more in-depth sampling across
the U.S.; top line results for the 2009 survey will be available later this
summer.

FEMA's Citizen Corps grassroots community resilience movement and the Ready
awareness campaign work together to actively involve Americans in making
themselves and their communities safer, stronger, and better prepared to handle
any emergency situation.  Over 2,300 local communities have created Citizen
Corps Councils nationwide to strengthen collaboration between government and
civic leaders and to educate, train, and involve the public.  For more
information about Citizen Corps, visit http://www.citizencorps.gov.  To learn
more about the Ready Campaign, go to http://www.ready.gov.  To read the survey
reports, go to
http://www.citizencorps.gov/news/press/2009/personal_preparedness_research_jun09\
.shtm.

This news story and other Community Preparedness news, including Citizen Corps
Bulletins, can be found on our website at http://www.citizencorps.gov/.

Sincerely,

The National Office of Citizen Corps
FEMA Community Preparedness Division

New Emergency Use Authorization Online Course

An Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) online course has been developed by the
Food and Drug Administration and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to
provide public health officials, emergency managers, or Strategic National
Stockpile coordinators with an introduction to the Emergency Use Authorization
of medical products.

You can take this course at the below website.  Course time takes approximately
30 minutes and you can print off a certificate of completion at the end of the
course.

http://emergency.cdc.gov/training/eua/index.html

National Center for Biological Research and Training (NCBRT) eLearning: 50
States Challenge

The spirit of competition is a long standing part of the American culture and
the NCBRT Director Colonel Tom Tucker is issuing a professional challenge to all
50 states in the interest of national preparedness.  Beginning now and
continuing through September 2009, NCBRT challenges each state to inspire 500
new eLearning participants to complete one web based course over the next three
months.

NCBRT eLearning has the ability to administer 50,000 online courses a year. 
Currently however, eLearning is not operating at its maximum capacity.  This
challenge is to support the expansion of well informed and capable communities. 
In a letter to SAAs Colonel Tucker expresses confidence in the 50 states
challenge saying, "I believe that together we can achieve this important goal." 
The numerical break down is about five participants a day for each state and
there will be a tip of the hat to states with the most competitive spirit.  At
the end of the competition, the state who reaches 500 participants first, as
well as the state with the highest number of completions over all at the end of
the three months will be recognized at the Annual Instructors Meeting held
November 17-18, 2009 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

For over ten years NCBRT has been a DHS training partner providing high-quality
training to emergency responders throughout the United States and its
territories under the NCBRT's Homeland Security National Training Cooperative
Agreement. Preparedness is a shared, national responsibility requiring our
active participation to prepare America to address its threats.  Now, with the
eLearning platform participants have the ability to conduct top rate courses in
the privacy of their own home or office without interruption to their daily
activities.

NCBRT eLearning Courses Include:

* Preparing Communities for Agroterrorism: Awareness-Level
* Prevention and Deterrence of Terrorist Acts - Law Enforcement Version
* Prevention and Deterrence - An Overview for all Disciplines
* Foundational Awareness of Weapons of Mass Destruction/Terrorism
* Nurses on the Frontline: Preparing for Emergencies and Disasters
* Effects of Weapons of Mass Destruction/Terrorism Incidents on Mass Feeding
* Effects of Weapons of Mass Destruction/Terrorism Incidents on Bulk
Distribution
* Effects of Weapons of Mass Destruction/Terrorism Incidents on Mass Sheltering
* Disaster Mental Health Considerations During a Weapons of Mass
Destruction/Terrorist Incident
* eCDLS (eCore Disaster Life Support)

For additional information, contact NCBRT eLearning toll free at 1 (866)
221-1083, by email at elearn@... or on the web at
http://www.ncbrt.lsu.edu/elearn.

Citizen Corps News: Serve it Forward

A few days ago, a great story by Lisbeth R. went up on Serve.gov about her
involvement with CERT and Citizen Corps.

Citizen Corps is a great way to get involved with the Summer of Service—check
out Lisbeth's story.

http://serve.gov/stories_detail.asp?tbl_servestories_id=35

This news story and other Community Preparedness news, including Citizen Corps
Bulletins, can be found on our website at http://www.citizencorps.gov/.

Sincerely,

The National Office of Citizen Corps
FEMA Community Preparedness Division

NOAA'S VOLUNTEER PROGRAM

Volunteers play an integral role in supporting the environmental stewardship
conducted every day by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
(NOAA). Across the United States and its coastal waters, opportunities exist for
volunteers within NOAA's Fisheries Service, National Ocean Service, National
Weather Service, and Sea Grant programs to take part in research, observation
and educational roles that benefit science, our citizens and our planet.
Individuals are needed on a recurring basis.  If interested visit NOAA's
Volunteer Page www.volunteer.noaa.gov.  There you can find opportunities for
involvement in NOAA's Fisheries, Ocean, Research, and Weather programs in the
area you are live in and a brief explanation of what you will be asked to do.

[Source: www.volunteer.noaa.gov Aug 09 ++]

On-Line Training available for POD Leadership positions

What exactly will the POD Logistics Unit Leader do and why is it important? How
can I learn more about the different functions I might be assigned to in a POD?

It's easy! Sign up for an account at the Ft. Bend Health and Human Services
Learning Management System. There are 14 modules designed to develop your skills
for working in a POD and other emergencies.

Go to http://ftbend.togtraining.com/ and sign up for a free account. Once your
account is established, take Strategic National Stockpile Point of Dispensing
Operations: An Overview which is the prerequisite for most of the other courses.
The courses are interactive and do not have to be taken in one session.

So give it a try!

Texas State Guard in need of volunteers, donations

06:24 PM CDT on Thursday, October 1, 2009

By QUITA CULPEPPER / KVUE News

They wear the same uniforms and travel to help Texans in times of need, but
these volunteers are not part of the Texas National Guard.

The Texas State Guard is there to deal with hurricanes, floods and other natural
disasters.  The all-volunteer force helps fire and rescue crews in the field and
take care of natural disaster victims.

"We're the ones who are running those shelters and making sure people are
getting the resources they need," said Lt. Joy Schoffler.  "And we desperately
need people."

With just 1,600 volunteers right now, the State Guard says it needs at least
4,000 in the ranks to carry out additional military support missions across
Texas in the coming years.

Texas State Guard volunteers don't need prior military training, would not be
deployed outside the state and would receive a $125 a day stipend if activated.

The State Guard headquarters is stationed at Camp Mabry, and with a budget of
just $500,000 a year, Schoffler says it can also use all the donations it can
get, to buy additional uniforms and equimpent used during a natural disaster.

To view the video go to the below link.

http://www.kvue.com/video/index.html?nvid=403803&shu=1

To find out more about the Texas State Guard visit: www.gotxsg.com

Secretary Napolitano Announces New Proposed Standards for Private Sector
Preparedness

Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Janet Napolitano today announced
new proposed standards for a 9/11 Commission-recommended program for the private
sector to improve preparedness for disasters and emergencies.

"Preparedness is a shared responsibility and everyone—including businesses,
universities and non-profit organizations—has a role to play," said Secretary
Napolitano. "Ensuring our private sector partners have the information and
training they need to respond to disasters will strengthen our efforts to build
a culture of preparedness nationwide."

DHS published a notice in the Federal Register today seeking public comment on
three new standards identified for adoption under the Voluntary Private Sector
Preparedness Accreditation and Certification Program (PS-Prep). PS-Prep is a
partnership between DHS and the private sector that enables private
entities—including businesses, non-profit organizations and universities—to
receive emergency preparedness certification from a DHS accreditation system
created in coordination with the private sector.

The notice proposes new PS-Prep standards to enhance operational resilience,
business continuity management, and disaster and emergency management among
participating private sector partners.

The proposed standards, developed by the National Fire Protection Association,
the British Standards Institution and the ASIS International, were selected
based on their scalability, balance of interest and relevance to PS-Prep from a
group of 25 standards proposed for consideration following the publication of a
Federal Register notice in December 2008 announcing the program.

In addition to the standards in the notice posted today, DHS is establishing
classifications and methods of certifications that recognize the unique needs
and characteristics of small businesses.

Individuals wishing to submit comments on the proposed standards, recommend
additional standards for consideration or comment on other programmatic aspects
of PS-Prep may obtain a comment form and instructions for submission online at
www.regulations.gov, in Docket ID: FEMA-2008-0017. DHS requests comments by Nov.
15, though it will accept submissions at any time thereafter.

For more information, visit http://www.fema.gov/privatesectorpreparedness/.

This news story and other Community Preparedness news can be found on our
website at www.citizencorps.gov.

Sincerely,

The National Office of Citizen Corps

Online Disaster Simulation Game

Education is key for reducing children's risks to disasters.  Children are one
of the most vulnerable groups when disasters occur.  If we teach them from the
early age about the risks posed by natural hazards, children will have a better
chance to save their lives during disasters.

The online game aims at teaching children how to build safer villages and cities
against disasters.  Children will learn playing how the location and the
construction materials of houses can make a difference when disasters strike and
how early warning systems, evacuation plans and education can save lives.

Children are the future architects, mayors, doctors, and parents of the world of
tomorrow, if they know what to do to reduce the impact of disasters; they will
create a safer world.

Not only is it a lot of fun for kids, but adults can enjoy it and learn
interesting facts from it.  This game allows you to assume the role of an
emergency manager and plan and construct a safer environment for your
population.  The name of the game is "Stop Disasters!" and can be accessed at
http://www.stopdisastersgame.org/en/playgame.html.

CERT Team Leaders and CERT Team Members,

There is a video available that provides a high level overview of an entire CERT
course.  This is by no means intended as a substitute for a complete
face-to-face CERT course, but can be used as a quick refresher for your CERT
team membes, or as an introduction for community members that may be interested
in receiving CERT training.  The full DVD is 77 minutes long and can be
purchased online.  You can watch a short excerpt from the video at the YouTube
link below.  Further description and ordering information can be found below.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wvQ45gWgSg0

---------------------------------------------------------------------

PEOPLE LIKE YOU

As a public service, the Ojai California Rotary-West Club teamed with
professional, Walk Your Talk Productions to produce an instructional video of
the C.E.R.T.  (Community Emergency Response Team) certification classes.  This
is a nation-wide program that helps families and individuals prepare to work as
teams, neighbors, & individuals for emergencies & disasters.  Rotary
International by "Walk Your Talk Productions."  Full video is 77 min. and
available though: walkyourtalkproductions.com

"People Like You" gives you the essential information from an actual CERT class
given in California.  Rich in imagery, fast paced and packed with vital
strategies, this film covers Emergency Supplies, Utilities, Communications,
Natural & Man-made Threats, Search & Rescue, Travel & Terrorism, Medical Triage,
First Aid and Disaster Psychology in lively, easy-viewing chapters.

"People Like You" was produced with the certain knowledge that in any kind of a
disaster, if you're not part of the solution, you'll be part of the problem. 
It's the goal of CERT training and this video, to help you become part of your
community's solution.

This video can be purchased at www.walkyourtalkproductions.com for about $24.00.

FEMA Independent Study Program - Emergency Management Institute

The Independent Study Program

General Information

The Emergency Management Institute's (EMI) Distance Learning (DL) Section offers
the Independent Study Program (ISP).  This is a distance learning program which
offers training, free of charge, to the nation's emergency management network
and the general public.  It serves as both an alternative means to deliver
valuable training to the professional and volunteer emergency management
community, and an opportunity to improve public awareness and promote disaster
preparedness nationally.  The Independent Study Program offers over 70 training
courses via our training website http://training.fema.gov/.

In Addition… Students are able to obtain continuing education units for all ISP
courses.  ISP also offers college credit for many of the courses through an
agreement with the Frederick Community College in Maryland.  Students who
successfully complete courses can also request student transcripts be provided
to institutions to assist students in obtaining continuing education units
and/or to military institutions for military personnel to earn retirement
points.  In addition, the program offers a customer support center to assist
students.  The customer support center can be reached through email at
Independent.Study@... or telephone at 301-447-1200.  The hours of operation
are Monday through Friday, 7:30am–7:30pm.

How to get started

The fastest way to begin taking courses is to visit our website.  You can learn
about each course, download materials and take courses interactively.  Just
follow these easy steps:

1.  Go to our website:  http://training.fema.gov
2.  Click on FEMA Independent Study
3.  Click on Course List
4.  Select your course of interest

Once, you have studied the training material, you can submit your final exam,
all from the convenience of your home or office.  Upon successful exam
completion, you will receive an email within one business day that confirms your
transcript has been updated and a link to create your electronic certificate.

Areas of Interests

* Introduction to Incident Command System (ICS)
* National Incident Management System (NIMS)
* National Response Framework (NRF)
* Professional Development Series

Terrorism: Understanding More About Threat Awareness

The recent act of terrorism attempted on Northwest Airlines Flight 253 provides
another reminder that all citizens need to be aware of their surroundings and be
vigilant for activities and behaviors that do not appear normal.  This is true
when one goes flying, but it is also true as we move around our County on a
daily basis.  Unfortunately, it appears that acts of terrorism are here to stay
and all of us need to be concerned and ready to react.

So what should citizens do?

Link:
http://blog.fbcoem.org/2009/12/30/terrorism-understanding-more-about-threat-awar\
eness-and-detection/

It's A Disaster… and What Are You Going To Do About It

January 7, 2010 by National Terror Alert

No matter where you live there is a chance some type of disaster or emergency
can (or at some time will) occur. Whether it s terrorism, a flood, fire,
hurricane, a chemical spill forcing an evacuation, biological attack or other
emergency, it's best to prepare BEFORE an actual crisis.

The question is … what are YOU gonna do about it?

IT'S A DISASTER!… helps families and businesses be aware, be prepared, and have
a plan for most types of emergencies and disasters.  The 268-page paperback from
Bill and Janet Liebsch at Fedhealth provides quick-reference instructional
bullets in 2-color format.  It is not written to alarm people, rather it
suggests informative and practical advice on what you should think about and do
before, during and after specific types of crisis or disaster scenarios.

This book is available on Amazon.com for about $12.00

FBI Cyber Security regarding Haitian fraud alert.   Haitian Earthquake Relief
Fraud Alert

01/13/10—The FBI today reminds Internet users who receive appeals to donate
money in the aftermath of Tuesday's earthquake in Haiti to apply a critical eye
and do their due diligence before responding to those requests. Past tragedies
and natural disasters have prompted individuals with criminal intent to solicit
contributions purportedly for a charitable organization and/or a good cause.

Therefore, before making a donation of any kind, consumers should adhere to
certain guidelines, to include the following:

*  Do not respond to any unsolicited (spam) incoming e-mails, including clicking
links contained within those messages.

*  Be skeptical of individuals representing themselves as surviving victims or
officials asking for donations via e-mail or social networking sites.

*  Verify the legitimacy of nonprofit organizations by utilizing various
Internet-based resources that may assist in confirming the group's existence and
its nonprofit status rather than following a purported link to the site.

*  Be cautious of e-mails that claim to show pictures of the disaster areas in
attached files because the files may contain viruses. Only open attachments from
known senders.

*  Make contributions directly to known organizations rather than relying on
others to make the donation on your behalf to ensure contributions are received
and used for intended purposes.

*  Do not give your personal or financial information to anyone who solicits
contributions: Providing such information may compromise your identity and make
you vulnerable to identity theft.

Anyone who has received an e-mail referencing the above information or anyone
who may have been a victim of this or a similar incident should notify the IC3
via www.ic3.gov.

FEMA Encourages Volunteerism Through Citizen Corps
(Release Date: January 16, 2010; Release Number: FNF-10-001)

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- On January 18, Americans will volunteer in a Day of Service
to honor Martin Luther King, Jr., transforming the federal holiday into a
national day of volunteerism where people of all ages and backgrounds can come
together to strengthen their community. The Federal Emergency Management Agency
(FEMA) encourages volunteerism and civic engagement for all-hazards emergency
preparedness and resilience through its Citizen Corps program. This year,
Citizen Corps Councils across the country have organized Day of Service
volunteer preparedness activities such as assembling emergency preparedness kits
to be delivered to the homebound, replenishing supplies at local food pantries,
conducting health fairs with influenza prevention outreach and hosting emergency
preparedness education classes.

FEMA's Citizen Corps is the grassroots community preparedness and resilience
movement that asks everyone in America to be an active participant in making
themselves and their communities safer, stronger and better prepared to handle
any emergency situation. Over 2,400 local communities nationwide have created
Citizen Corps Councils to strengthen collaboration between government and civic
leaders and to educate, train and involve the public in all-hazards emergency
preparedness.

For more information about FEMA and Citizen Corps, visit www.fema.gov and
www.citizencorps.gov. To learn more about the 2010 Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
of Service, visit www.mlkday.gov.

FEMA's mission is to support our citizens and first responders to ensure that as
a nation we work together to build, sustain, and improve our capability to
prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate all
hazards.

2-1-1 Texas/United Way Helpline Works Diligently During January 2010 Ice Storm

Despite taking more than 732,500 calls in 2009, the 2-1-1 Texas/United Way
Helpline refuses to rest on its laurels. When National Weather Service
forecasters predicted, snow, ice, and extreme cold weather conditions in early
January, the Helpline implemented its disaster protocol to be prepared. "We felt
it was especially important to be proactive during this event," said David Jobe,
LMSW, Director of 2-1-1 Texas/United Way Helpline. "The most vulnerable Greater
Houston-area people were depending on our ability to help them stay safe during
the cold weather.

United Way of Greater Houston staff liaisons with the homeless community
verified cold weather procedures and availability of shelter bed capacity. This
information was quickly relayed to 2-1-1 Texas/United Way Helpline in advance of
the event. In addition, contacts with the Texas Gulf Coast Regional VOAD
(Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster) began sending preliminary resource
information to Helpline staff as soon as it could be verified. Additional
shelters that were on standby were entered into the disaster database, yet were
not active for searching by call specialists since these shelters were not yet
available to the public. Other efforts included were listening to statewide
emergency management conference calls to learn how efforts in other areas may
impact call volume. Since 2-1-1 Texas/United Way Helpline is the largest in
Texas (and largest volume center in the nation), many calls from other areas of
the state area answered in Houston when other centers need to close during
disasters, after regular business hours, and on weekends and holidays. The
widespread nature of the ice storm mean that calls could arrive from anywhere in
the state, and Houston's call specialists needed to be prepared with reliable
resources.

Harris County and City of Houston emergency management officials kept 2-1-1
informed about what could help people who may be affected in the event of a
power outage that would endanger those who no longer had electricity-generated
heat to keep them safe at home. Keeping close ties with local emergency
management officials was a critical component of success during this event in
order to keep the public informed about resources and keep rumors of services
down to a minimum.

At the end of the early January event, 2-1-1 Texas/United Way Helpline assisted
more than 350 individuals who needed information about school closures, road
conditions, shelter options, and locations of warming centers. The most common
unmet need recorded during this event was for individuals who requested heaters
from non-profit agencies. (NOTE: This resource was not available except under
extreme conditions and only on a limited basis.)

The response by 2-1-1 Texas/United Way Helpline demonstrates an even greater
connectedness to local emergency management resources. During disasters and for
every day needs, 2-1-1 Texas/United Way Helpline continues to be the place to
call when people don't know who else to call.

To learn more about 2-1-1 go to

http://www.harriscountycitizencorps.com/volunteer/orgabstract.asp?org=6

Winter Theory Institute at UHV to Explore Perceptions of Terror

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Feb. 8, 2010

Contact: Paula Cobler, coblerp@...

Winter Theory Institute at UHV to explore perceptions of terror

Scholars from across the nation who have studied how terror impacts people's
lives will be at the University of Houston-Victoria Thursday through Sunday,
February 11-14, discussing their research.

"This will give the attendees an opportunity to understand how academic, social
and political life have been impacted by terror in general and to learn more
about America's response to terror and its many manifestations," said Uppinder
Mehan, associate director of the Society for Critical Exchange.

SCE, a UHV-based scholarly organization devoted to theory, is exploring these
issues in collaboration with the UHV School of Arts and Sciences during the
Winter Theory Institute: "terror.edu - Terrorism and Education in America."

Twelve scholars will make 30-minute presentations about terror all day Friday
and Saturday, February 12-13 on the third floor of the UHV University Center,
3007 N. Ben Wilson St. Each presentation will be followed by 30 minutes of
responses from the attendees.

Several publishers already have expressed interest in releasing a book of the
essays presented during the institute sometime this fall, Mehan said. The book
could be used in undergraduate classes and by scholars in the field.

"The intersection of terror and higher education is a very hot topic," said
Jeffrey Di Leo, dean of the School of Arts & Sciences and SCE director. "Given
the outstanding group of scholars participating in the institute, I'm not
surprised that publishers are already interested."

Speakers at the Winter Theory Institute will include Florida State University
faculty member Robin Truth Goodman, author of the 2009 book "Policing Narratives
and the State of Terror," and James Castagnera of Rider University in
Lawrenceville, N.J., author of the recent book "Al-Qaeda Goes to College: Impact
of the War on Terror on American Higher Education."

UHV faculty members making presentations include Horace "Bud" Fairlamb, an SCE
associate director who will talk about religion and terror, and Keith Akins, who
will discuss the differences between teaching Christian and Islamic violence.

Videos of the Friday and Saturday presentations and interviews with the
presenters will be made available on the SCE Web site,
societyforcriticalexchange.org, about a week after the institute ends, Mehan
said.

The public is invited to attend the free presentations but are asked to contact
Mehan in advance because of limited seating. For more information, contact him
at 361-570-4178 or sce@....

# # # # #

The University of Houston-Victoria, located in the heart of the Coastal Bend
region, is an upper-level institution that offers approximately 50 bachelor's
and master's degree programs and concentrations in the schools of Arts &
Sciences, Business Administration, Education & Human Development, and Nursing. 
Legislation signed into law on June 19, 2009, will allow UHV to admit
underclassmen in the fall of 2010.  UHV also offers face-to-face classes at two
University of Houston teaching centers in Fort Bend County, in addition to its
home campus in Victoria, and online classes that students can take from
anywhere. Since its founding in 1973, UHV has provided students with a quality
university education from exceptional faculty at a great value.

FEMA is excited to announce the next webinar in the Community Preparedness
Webinar Series. This webinar series provides up-to-date information on community
preparedness topics and resources available to citizens, community
organizations, and Citizen Corps Councils. This LIVE webinar is scheduled for
Thursday, February 18th at 2:00-3:00pm EST and will provide information on
Earthquake Preparedness: Lessons Learned from Haiti and California hosted by
FEMA. It will feature a presentation followed by a question and answer period.

LIVE Webinar: Earthquake Preparedness – Lessons Learned from Haiti and
California - Feb 18 @ 2pm ET

http://www.citizencorps.gov/news/webcasts/earthquakewebinar.shtm

The Community Preparedness Webinar Series focuses on bringing together
government and community leaders to involve citizens in all-hazards preparedness
and resilience. The recent 7.0 earthquake that shook Haiti less than 800 miles
from Miami, FL, has raised awareness that such an event could occur in America.
Presenting on the topics of education, preparedness, training, and community
involvement will be Mark Benthien, Director for Communication, Education and
Outreach (CEO) for the Southern California Earthquake Center and Executive
Director of the Earthquake Country Alliance, and Steve Willey, a member of the
Fairfax County Urban Search and Rescue Team (Virginia Task Force 1) and a
Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) instructor for Fairfax County, VA.

The Community Preparedness Webinar Series features new community preparedness
topics several times each month and is free to the public. Registration is not
required to attend. Each webinar will accommodate the first 500 visitors that
enter the website at the time of the webinar. In addition to airing live, the
webinar will be recorded and viewable after it completes at your convenience.

If you need special accommodations or require additional assistance to view or
listen to this webinar, please email us at citizencorps@... no later than
5pm EST on Tuesday, February 16th and we will provide you with additional
resources so you may participate.

More details on this webinar and upcoming webinars in the Community Preparedness
Webinar Series are available at The National Office of Citizen Corps FEMA
Individual & Community Preparedness Division

Share Your Ideas with DHS on How to Enhance Collaboration with the Public

DHS Secretary Janet Napolitano announced the launch of a new online public
engagement tool designed to solicit input from the public on ways to enhance
transparency, participation, collaboration and innovation at the Department—part
of President Obama's Open Government Directive.  The new online tool, available
from Feb 6- Mar 19, allows members of the public and interested stakeholders to
submit ideas and suggestions on ways DHS can enhance transparency,
participation, collaboration and innovation—while saving taxpayer money.  You
may visit the engagement tool website here
http://openhomelandsecurity.ideascale.com

MySafeHome.org Tour Re-Launches with New Visuals and Expanded Resources...

The Home Safety Council re-launched a renovated virtual home.  The new
MySafeHome.org tour features improved animation and panoramic capabilities to
help visitors learn how to identify and fix home hazards as they explore each
area of the virtual home.  Room makeovers will continue throughout the year, so
visit often to keep up with the latest updates at http://www.mysafehome.net

There is a wealth of FREE online training courses available to the general
public on the FEMA Independent Study Program website.

There are several courses that are of particular interest to CERT Teams and
especially to CERT Team Leaders.  If you have not yet taken the courses listed
below, they are highly recommended.

IS-317 Introduction to Community Emergency Response Teams
http://training.fema.gov/EMIWeb/IS/is317.asp

IS-22 Are You Ready? An In-depth Guide to Citizen Preparedness
http://training.fema.gov/EMIWeb/IS/is22.asp

IS-324 Community Hurricane Preparedness
http://www.training.fema.gov/EMIWeb/IS/is324.asp

IS-244 Developing and Managing Volunteers
http://www.training.fema.gov/EMIWeb/IS/is244.asp

IS-288 The Role of Voluntary Agencies in Emergency Management
http://www.training.fema.gov/EMIWeb/IS/is288.asp

Live Webinar: American Red Cross Month:  Partnership in Preparedness– March 17@ 2:00 pm EST.

March is American Red Cross Month.  For more than 128 years, the mission of the American Red Cross has been to help people prevent, prepare for, and respond to emergencies. A humanitarian organization led by volunteers, guided by its Congressional Charter and the Fundamental Principles of the International Red Cross Movement, the Red Cross is woven into the fabric of our communities with more than 700 chapters nationwide. The American Red Cross has been a Citizen Corps Affiliate since 2003, offering state and local Citizen Corps Councils resources for education, outreach, training, and volunteer service opportunities to support first responders and disaster relief activities.  Joscelyn Silsby, from American Red Cross Preparedness and Health and Safety Services, will highlight ways to work in partnership with local American Red Cross Chapters and learn about resources to better promote community preparedness.

The Community Preparedness Webinar Series features new community preparedness topics several times each month and is free to the public. Each webinar will accommodate the first 500 visitors that enter the website at the time of the webinar. In addition to airing live, the webinar will be recorded and viewable at your convenience on the Citizen Corps website (www.citizencorps.gov) usually within 24 hours after the live webcast.  To join the webinar live simply go to http://www.citizencorps.gov/news/webcasts/redcrossmonth.shtm and click on the button on the upper right side of the page that says "Join the Webinar".  Sign in as a guest.

If you need special accommodations or require additional assistance to view or listen to this webinar, please email us at citizencorps@... no later than 5pm EST on Monday, March 15^th and we will provide you with additional resources so you may participate.

More details on this webinar and upcoming webinars in the Community Preparedness Webinar Series are available at www.citizencorps.gov.

Sincerely,

The National Office of Citizen Corps
FEMA Individual & Community Preparedness Division

For those of you with a Facebook account, you may be interested in joining the
BAYSAR group.

The Bay Area Search and Rescue (BAYSAR) is a joint venture between Civil Air
Patrol (CAP), Community Emergency Response Team (CERT), and Amateur Radio
Emergency Service (ARES), to train and prepare for disasters in the
Houston/Gaveston Texas area.

The goal of the BAYSAR group is to build a cadre of trained volunteers in the
Gulf Coast Area that may be able to assist in search and recovery operations
during a crisis in our area.  They hope to have training and exercises on a
monthly basis in various communities all along the Houston/Galveston area.

During the March training session on the 20th, there were approximately 20 CAP
Cadets and 10 CERT members from all over the Houston/Galveston Metropolitan
area.  Some topics covered during the training session were:

Classroom:
* Personal Equipment for Searches
* Challenges for evacuation and triage in flooded areas
* Street and home reconnaissance, technique and limits for non-structural search
teams
* Hasty Search methodolgy, individual and team timed event
* Missing person search.

Practical exercises:
Searching for small objects in an empty lot (search technique / observation)
Searching a wide area for a missing person. (team search
techniques/coordination)

There is no cost to join this group and/or participate in their training and
exercises.  You may participate at whatever level you desire and are not
obligated to attend at all if you do not wish to.  They realize that every
volunteer also has other higher obligations to their employers, their families,
or to other organizations they may belong to.  During a crisis, some members may
be able to volunteer right away and without time limitations.  Some may be able
to come later and relieve others for a period of time.  The availability of a
large group of trained volunteers would enable search operations to be more
effective for a greater period of time.

The BAYSAR Group also has a Yahoo Group at: 
http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/BaySAR/

Fort Bend County Emergency Management Recognized With "Excellence in Emergency
Management" Award

By: FortBendNow Staff on Thu, Mar 25, 2010

The Fort Bend County Office of Emergency Management has been recognized with an
"Excellence in Emergency Management" Award for the Municipal Utility District
Readiness Program. This is one of three "Excellence in Emergency Management"
awards presented to Fort Bend County on behalf of the Emergency Management
Association of Texas.

Fort Bend County Office of Emergency Management, at the direction of County
Judge Bob Hebert, created the MUD Readiness Program for Municipal Utility
Districts within Fort Bend County.  A  MUD is a political entity established by
the Texas Commission of Environmental Quality to deliver water, wastewater and
other utility services for residents within its boundaries.

The MUD Readiness Program prepares MUDs to respond in an emergency, and enhances
communications between utility districts and the Office of Emergency Management
during an incident.  To date, several companies have succesfully participated in
the program that consists of training for MUD operators, education of emergency
response measures and instilling the need for collaboration.

"It's important that Fort Bend County build and maintain a consensus for action
and a positive working relationship with all the partners to successfully
complete this vital project and make every effort to prepare for the next
disaster," said Hebert. "The program is based on assuring that participating
operating companies are fully informed on the workings of the National Incident
Management System and the role of the county in supporting all first responders
during a declared emergency. The idea is to ensure improved communications
between emergency management personnel and utility operators and to include
utility district representation in the County EOC in all future activities."

The program involves a series of actions to be taken to make these operating
companies more prepared for the 2010 Hurricane Season, improve communications
with emergency management staff at the County level, and begin to make the
county's water districts responsible for emergency management activities.

Considering the amount of time we spend in our homes, there is no doubt to why
we spend so much time worrying about the safety and security within our homes.

An easy way to make your home feel safe is to lock your doors - if someone is
scouting your home, they will see that you always use keys to enter. Invest in
an external motion sensor system to trigger a main external light to light up
your front step, which is an easy to afford option - lights scare prowlers off.
With that in mind, a few extra lights to illuminate your house can not only make
the house a little safer, but also accent the house and any landscaping very
nicely.

Investing in a basic home security system is worthwhile - if any exterior
windows are doors are opened while the system is active, sirens will sound and a
signal will be sent to an alarm monitoring company. Of course, by the time the
police arrive, it will be 15 minutes or more later, so the monthly fees for
monitoring may not be worth it, but the siren that sounds is normally loud
enough to alert everyone in the house, as well as for several houses around.
Most new houses include the wiring for a system as part of the standard build
for the house, making it very easy to roll one out in the future.

Consider investing in a fire-proof and water-proof safe if you have a higher end
need for safety and valuable assets to protect. Fire-proof is a necessity, since
the biggest risk to a home is fire, and water-proof is a requirement, since
water will be used to put out said fire - if you want to keep any irreplaceable
documents, they need to be kept in a water-proof environment. Another option is
to consider a safety deposit box at a local bank - they are far more affordable
on a monthly basis.

Learn about your neighborhood, and if your home is in a neighborhood with a
higher rate of crime, consider installing bars on any ground-accessible windows
- they are a visible sign of physical security. Also, keep your curtains closed
on the main floor - they make it harder to see in if someone is trying to figure
out if you have anything worth stealing.

The safest home is one in a safe community. Be involved in your community - a
strong community has a better chance of rejecting any negative criminal elements
as well as supporting positive ones. Community programs like Neighborhood Watch
encourage each member of a community to watch out for each other, and as a
result, common crime in those neighborhoods is dramatically lower.